browser

Workarounds are never fun, but sometimes you’ve got to deal with them. That was the case with WhatsApp Web and Internet Explorer, and later on with Microsoft Edge, too. If you've been using the workarounds or a different browser to compensate, good news: WhatsApp Web now officially supports both Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer, making setup as simple as a QR code.

The Web is a rather dangerous place, not because the technologies that build it up are inherently insecure (thought they do have bugs). It's because of social engineering, the term used to describe techniques that con people into clicking on links or downloading things they normally wouldn't, leading to infected computers and devices. Google launched its Safe Browsing feature for Chrome late last year to combat social engineering scams and now it is expanding it to cover deceptive "embedded content", also known as ads.

It's not unusual for apps to be taken off a marketplace, even in Google's somewhat more embracing Play Store. But when that app happens to have come from the most prolific Android OEM, the Internet goes somewhat crazy. Google has, in its officially capacity as the final arbiter of Android's official app store, removed an ad blocking app approved and advertised by Samsung from Google Play Store. Its reason? An almost vague reference to a policy violation that disallows one app from disrupting the functions of another.

Some ads are more annoying than others are and that has led many web users to run ad blockers that stop them from having to look at ads. Apple has already added an adblocking API to iOS and now Samsung is following with a similar ad blocking service. Samsung has teamed with Adblock Fast and is rolling out an ad blocker to users via an OTA update.

Brendan Eich is a man that is familiar with the Web as well as controversy. After all, his is both credited and at times cursed for having created Javascript, one of the most widely used and, at the same time, reviled programming languages. He also co-founded Mozilla, from which he was practically forced to leave two years ago. Now Eich is back at doing what he does best: creating browsers and stirring up the pot. Brave, as it is called, is a speedy browser that blocks ads by default. And then it replaces them with other ads.

Web browsing was, in the beginning, a more personal activity, with users hogging the screen, reading web pages and viewing pictures of cats. As the Web embraced more types of content, it has expanded to become a social, or at least group, experience, from watching videos to giving presentations. It seems appropriate then that web browsers be able to display their content on some external screen or display. Google made that possible in Chrome via the Google Cast extension but soon the ability will come built into the web browser, no additional software needed.

At one point, Microsoft's web browser was considered to be the web browser, wresting the crown away from then forever king Netscape. Those were, however, Internet Explorer's golden days and the browser has since then become the butt of jokes in the Internet community. So it is almost fitting, but still with a heavy heart for some, that Microsoft has started 2016 by cutting off Internet Explorer versions 8, 9, and 10 from its font of continuous support and fixes. Same with Windows 8, which has also been a source of ridicule since its debut.

Bad news for those who use older versions of Microsoft Windows, good news for just about everyone else on the planet: Internet Explorer 8, 9, and 10 are finally being killed off next Tuesday. January 12th is the browsers' official "end of life" date, or when Microsoft will no longer support them with updates and security fixes. On that date, the company will be releasing a patch to encourage current users to upgrade to IE 11, which will be supported for a bit longer, or Microsoft's new Edge browser.

Microsoft almost had the perfect replacement for decaying titan that was Internet Explorer. Well, almost. Microsoft Edge was fast, light, and capable. It was, in short, good enough for casual browsing. But for the less casual users that probably make up more than half of its user population, the browser was severely lacking in one crucial feature: extensions. Microsoft promised extensions would be coming, but delayed fulfilling that promise to next year. Now it seems that it might be closer than we expected, with a leaked image making its way over the Internet to show how those extensions will look and work.

Samsung has announced “Samsung Internet for Gear VR”, a web browser for its virtual reality headset. With this app, Gear VR owners will be able to access the Internet and enjoy content from beyond the app ecosystem, expanding the headset’s usefulness and eliminating one of the bigger complaints about the device. Among other things, the browser can stream 3D and 360-degree video.

Mozilla Foundation, the makers of the popular internet browser Firefox, have revealed that in order focus their efforts on continued development of their most used product, they are planning to spin-off the email and chat client Thunderbird. This shouldn't come as a huge surprise to Mozilla followers, for while Thunderbird first debuted in 2004, shortly after Firefox, it hasn't been directly updated since 2012. This news comes direct from Mozilla Chairperson Mitchell Baker, via company-wide memo.

Just when you thought the browser wars have mostly settled down peacefully into camps, Microsoft may yet have a contender to reignite those flames. Of course it's not the well-aged, even expired, Internet Explorer but the shiny new Microsoft Edge. While already praised for its speed, performance, and clean interface, the browser lacks one feature that could help change the tide of battle in its favor. Microsoft did promise browser extensions would be coming soon, but now it is saying that "soon" really means some time next year.